Defense minister discusses NATO operations with U.S. counterpart

TIRANA, Nov. 3 – In Washington for a visit, Albanian Defense Minister Mimi Kodheli met with her U.S. counterpart, Chuck Hagel, and senior military officials to discuss cooperation as NATO allies and Albania’s support to the Iraqi government in the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group.
Albania has sent ammunition to the Iraqi army to help in the fight, and will send some more in the near future, officials said Tuesday.
Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby noted that Albania has played a leading role in the international effort underway to resupply Iraq’s Kurdish forces with ammunition and equipment.
“The leaders [also] discussed Albania’s defense reform efforts, including the Albanian officers who recently graduated from the New Jersey National Guard Officer Candidate School,” Kirby added. “They agreed to continue to work together on building Albanian capacity for training and education.”
Kodheli highlighted the Albanian Defense Ministry’s efforts to modernize the country’s armed forces with NATO-standard weapons, and she encouraged U.S. defense investment in Albania, the press secretary said.
Hagel noted Albania’s support to the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan, the admiral said, and thanked Albania for its commitment to the post-2014 Resolute Support mission there.
In an interview with the Voice of America, Kodheli also noted that the ISIS threat to Albania was equal to that of other NATO member countries.
Kodheli also said that unfortunately a small number of ISIS fighters have also come from Albania, as from the other countries in the Balkan region.
“Albania is working every day to have under control the security of its citizens wherever they are,” she said.
There are some tens of Albanians from Albania proper who have gone to Iraq and Syria to fight alongside the ISIS group.
Albania has passed a law which prohibits the participation of its citizens in other conflicts and that may sentence them to prison terms.